Block City

A friend gave us an enormous box of wooden blocks to add to our little collection. It came in a huge plastic bin. It's so many blocks we became a bit overwhelmed. There has been much building of intricate structures (not shown). I also love the leaves through the windows. There's a few days each year where our street is blazing yellow. Our new neighbors just cut down one of their sidewalk trees which affected me so intensely I still can't look out the window without moaning. I even care for trees that I didn't know. Like the huge oak that used to be in our front side yard saddling our neighbors yard. It was gone long before me and yet I still mourn it. (I don't even know what it looked like - that's called crazy.)

Happy Halloween!

The force was with us this year! Nathan immersed the boys into Star Wars. I've stood firm and not allowed them to watch the movies yet. But, it is a relentless pursuit to make me change my mind. Maddie refused Princess Lea and opted for a Native American.

It was a busy day of classroom Halloween parties. The kindergartners were thrilled to see us and so good! We had story time, freeze dance, snack and then four stations of crafts and games. They loved it! 

I wore my purple hair and hat. And the kids were just not sure if it was real or what. There was a lot of talk about a magic wand and special hair on Halloween. Of course, I'd conveniently forgotten my magic wand at home. I loved their confusion and innocence. Four days later, the kids are still coming up to me wondering about my hair! 

Now the 3rd graders, on the other hand, hardly gave me a glance. Maddie's in a class with 14 boys! It's, to say the least, intense. I feel for the teacher. We had one craft and an outdoor scavenger hunt for bones. Enthusiasm just not the unbridled joy of the five/six year olds. Sniff. (Can you believe the snow on the ground?)

Party time continued at the Woolberts for chili and fun before trick or treating. It was a fantastic way to end the day. Bijan and Theo were both Darth Vader, Maddie and Avery were Native Americans. And Maddie steeled herself to walk through the haunted house (the one where the man in the gorilla suit chased her down the street when she was in kindergarten). She was so proud to make it this year! We spent time trick or treating on their side of Beacon before getting a police escort across Beacon (by chance) to our side. The kids were thrilled - lights, sirens, the whole shebang!

Theo wasn't pleased that Gabriel put his arm around Davis. He said, "That's not his brother."

The candy tally

The Sanders' Pumps

(Maddie, Theo, Erin, Gabriel and Nathan)

Can you see the "code" in Nathan's pumpkin? 

Hint: There is an E, M, T and G

Hmmm, does he look like me? 

Happy Halloween!

(I was quite exhausted on November 1!)

From China with Love

Our dear friends the Roths sent these darling PJs to the kids. In China they are special dress up clothes. The kids love them. And to see both boys running around in their navy outfits - just darling!

I Will Blog Again and Hopefully Catch Up

The loves are growing up. But, life is moving quickly with end of school, brownie camping trip, HBS reunion and no time to breathe. Soon...

Breakfast?

I spilled a canister of oatmeal. Luckily, I had three ponies in the house.

Three Little Monkeys

Look at the cute aprons cousin Katy made! Maddie was tickled that Katy is learning to sew at the same time.

At the Doctor's Office

Maddie had Louisa, a new friend from school, over for a playdate. It's always a challenge to give Maddie her space and keep the boys occupied, they just want to play with Maddie and her friends. Theo was very patient this playdate. He had me write a note: Maddie and Louisa, Can I please come in and play? Response: No, Theo, not now. Then I watched as Theo very carefully wrote out YES and slipped the note back under the door. Back it came with another nicely worded no. Theo asked me to write Pretty Please on the note. Finally, the girls decided the boys might be fun. They invited them into their doctor's office where they were performing surgery. Under a blanket the boys went, pulled up to their eyebrows, while the girls did surgery on their hair. Everyone was more than thrilled!

Hello Santa

We saw Santa twice this year. Once at my favorite toy store and the other time at a Santa and Cookie party at church. Theo going through his Christmas list. Maddie had one item on her list - a cat... Santa dodged that bullet nicely.

At church, the past few years, I've been in the picture. This year, Gabriel snuggled right up with the big man.

Backyard Fall Fun

Maddie in her handmade hat from sewing class.

Dancing Kids

Gabriel LOVES to dance.

Bogging It

I finally figured out how to get photos off of my phone!

Maddie, Theo and I had a wonderful day at a cranberry bog festival. It was something else! We enjoyed the festival - playing games, sampling food, watching shows and then were able to take a bus ride through the bog to an actual operation. The cranberries against the blue of the water was glorious.


I think the kids favorite activity was the enormous sand mountain. The sand will be poured onto the cranberry plants after the bog is drained to protect them from the elements. The kids loved climbing and sliding down the sand hill.
It was a great day that we hope to share with Nathan and Gabriel next year!

Thursday at the Zoo

We met Taraneh, Avery and Amelia's families at the zoo. For a major metropolitan area, it isn't the greatest zoo. The kids don't seem to mind and with the beautiful weather, the animals were out in droves.

Such a regal ostrich!

I'm not sure what this box was for - it was at the lion exhibit. Surely, it can't be to show how lions were shipped over from Africa?

DeCordova Sculpture Garden

As silly as I sometimes think April vacation week is after having a week off in February, it is nice to have good weather to explore the area. Plus, most of our friends stay in town allowing for fun outings. I had heard amazing things about the DeCordova Sculpture Park and Museum. We met our friends the Pozens for a fun filled morning. They have a son, Henry, who is one week younger than Gabriel. The boys will be in preschool together.

Gabriel really liked this sculpture.

A tired boy picking dandelions.

We will definitely be back. It's super fun to run around the grounds exploring art!

Patriot's Monday

Can't believe it's Patriot's Day again. We trekked out to Concord to watch the parade. It was very Revolutionary. Then on to marathon watching. We live less than a 1/2 mile from the route and met a bunch of friends along route 16 to cheer on the runners.

It was a double stroller brigade.

Natalie (Taraneh and Bijan's mom), Teyah (Amelia and Georgie's mom), Kelly (Avery, Delaney, Davis and Declan's mom) and me. We are wearing Run Like Crazy shirts. Teyah met a fellow Australian guy (friend of her sister) who is running 52 marathons in 2010. It's pretty amazing. He's a great guy and would love facebook fans, the more fans the better sponsors! http://runlikecrazy.com/

So we waited and waited for Tristan. In such a large marathon, it's tough to pinpoint exactly when a runner will run by. Technology helps but the ap that told us when he'd pass by wasn't working. The kids had screamed themselves hoarse and were taking a break, actually snacks - you know it's important to fuel up when cheering - when up runs Tristan. He stood staring at us for a few seconds before we burst out cheering.

First graders and some sibs

We headed back to Kelly's for a pizza party. Not a bad day off!

Stories with Pop Pop and Uncle Johnny

They finally arrived! We were so excited. It was a much awaited and anticipated event!

Theo and Maddie loved their new book, The Quiltmaker's Gift. Grammie and Pop Pop always spoil the kids rotten (as Maddie says).

And let's not forget Uncle Johnny, he was like a rock star in the house. Where's Uncle Johnny? Where are you going Uncle Johnny? What are you doing? Do you want to play? And on and on! (Can you see Theo's expression in the picture?) And I know it's annoying to read about Christmas in February - I'll soon be caught up!

A Christmas Surprise from Grandmary

Our yard screamed for a swing set. The closest playground is at Angier, which makes it more of an outing than a daily event. And so I decided to use some of the money Grandmary had left me for a Christmas surprise for the kids. I've tried to honor each grandmother by using funds in ways they'd appreciate. I've had paintings commissioned for the kids to commemorate Grandmary's love of art and this will honor her love of fun. I've invested the money from Grandmommy!

Maddie was super excited to see her new toy!

It was frigid but we bundled up and headed outside. Gabriel took right to the set and scampered up the ladder. It's been great fun even in the winter. On a side note, I'm having difficulty with my camera. I'm quite disappointed in the pictures though Nathan would say it's the photographer and not the camera. We'll see...

Cookies with Santa

Our church had a fun children's event - Cookies with Santa. We got decked out in the red and green and hustled off to meet Santa. Interesting, where are the boys? They wouldn't go near the man with the white beard.
Until I said I'd join in the picture. This one won't be winning any awards!
Much sugar eating commenced our morning. What a great season!